Hello Carolyn,

Welcome to the Academic Affairs newsletter. Browse updates and announcements, connect to tips and resources, and check out stories from around campus.

October is Latinx Heritage Month



The UC San Diego community is invited to join in events across campus in October as part of the celebration of Latinx Heritage Month. A series of programs has been curated to mark the occasion, offering the opportunity to continue to learn about, recognize and acknowledge the rich heritage, history, cultures and contributions of our Latinx community. The month-long celebration also encourages students, staff and faculty to embrace the 2022 unifying theme: “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.”A variety of events have been curated to showcase the diversity of Latinx people, as well as highlight the complexities and intersectionality of Latinx culture. The event calendar includes a ballet folklorico performance; a special event with Yvett Merino, the producer of Disney’s award-winning film "Encanto;" and more. The events are organized by the Chicanx/Latinx Staff Association in partnership with the Latinx Academic Excellence Initiative and Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) workgroups.

Inclusive Excellence Award Nomination Period Now Open 

We are pleased to announce the nomination period is now open for the 28th Annual UC San Diego Inclusive Excellence Awards. The Inclusive Excellence Awards recognize staff, faculty, students, departments, and organizational units or groups for their demonstrated leadership and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion at UC San Diego. The campus is seeking nominees who make UC San Diego a better place to work and learn by promoting inclusion and demonstrating exemplary support of our Principles of Community. We encourage you to nominate fellow Tritons you feel deserve this recognition. To learn more about nomination criteria and previous recipients, and to submit nominations, visit the Inclusive Excellence Awards website. Nominations must be submitted by Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. If you have questions, please contact eosaa@ucsd.edu.

Upcoming Town Hall

Faculty and Research Town Hall

Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Register Online 



Today is the Commencement of Academic Activity (CAA) Deadline

All UC San Diego instructors to verify academic activity by Friday, October 7 following the guidelines in the instructor FAQ. Starting this past summer, UC San Diego instructors were required to certify whether students commenced academic activity to satisfy the requirement set forth by the U.S. Department of Education. Certifying commencement of students’ academic activity has a direct impact on the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office receiving funds to disburse to students as part of their financial aid packages. For the 2022-2023 academic year, certifying CAA will make it possible for the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to distribute approximately $370 million in federal financial aid.

Supporting Student-Centeredness at UC San Diego

Student-Centeredness is epitomized every day throughout UC San Diego because of everyone’s efforts to put our students first. In order to further support critical student-facing roles within areas across the university, as well as enhance Student-Centered communication, collaboration and professional development, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Alysson Satterlund encourages those in student-facing roles to:

1. Join the Student Affairs Listserv (SASTAFF-L) for relevant and timely info, updates, events and more from the Division of Student Affairs and close partners and attend the four quarterly 2022-23 Student Affairs Unit Heads Meetings. Please email vcsa@ucsd.edu to receive more information and be added to the listserv and calendar invite.
2. Collaborate with Student Affairs Communications on Student-Centered Social Media. Email sacommunications@ucsd.edu to for more information on how Student Affairs can best address your student-centered communications needs.
3. Present at or join the weekly Triton Time Professional Development series and participate in the annual, no-cost, high-impact 2022 Student Affairs Professional Development Day on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.

By taking part in any or all of the above opportunities, collaboration amongst all professionals at UC San Diego who contribute to the Triton student experience will be enhanced.

2022 Undergraduate Library Research Prize Winners Announced

Earlier this month, the Library announced the five students who were awarded a 2022 Undergraduate Library Research Prize (ULRP). Now in its 16th year, this annual award program recognizes the outstanding scholarly work of undergraduate students who demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic use of Library services, resources and expertise in support of the university’s mission.

UC Application Open Through November 30



The UC application for undergraduate admission can be submitted now through November 30! New this year, the submission period opened on October 1 (up from November 1 in previous years). To apply, students can visit the UC Application site and create an account or sign into their existing account. The application is the same for all nine undergraduate campuses, and students are required to fill out a variety of sections including About You, Campuses & Majors, Academic History, Personal Insight Questions, and more. As in previous years, UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admission decisions, making us a “test-free” option. After submitting their application, all UC San Diego applicants will receive an email encouraging them to log into their Applicant Portal where they can view important information and where they will learn their application decision by the end of March 2023 for first-year students, and by the end of April 2023 for transfers. For questions on filling out their UC application, we encourage students to visit the Office of Admissions’ Events page for UC application workshops and links to pre-recorded webinars. Admissions Officers are also available to answer questions by phone at (858) 534-4831 Monday - Friday and respond to questions via email at admissionreply@ucsd.edu.  

The Library and The Nat Display Art of Science Winners

The UC San Diego Library recently publicly announced the Second Annual Art of Science contest winners and the Library’s new partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat). The winning images from this year’s contest are on display in two physical exhibits (one at The Nat and another at WongAvery Library) and the Research Data Curation team has launched a digital exhibit. Putting these works on display in a popular Balboa Park museum allows the Library to bring further awareness to the tremendous (and gorgeous!) research being conducted here at UC San Diego. Those interested are encouraged to head to The Nat or WongAvery anytime through October 24 to see the exhibit(s) in person.

Triton Testing Center and Proctor Pool Available for Instructors

The Triton Testing Center (TTC) is open this quarter to provide secure and integrous testing services to students who need to take their paper-based tests outside the time and space constraints of the classroom. Unfortunately, the TTC is not equipped to host computer-based tests at this time. The Proctor Pool is also available to assist faculty with proctoring tests that occur in the classroom. Individual course instructors can request in-class proctors using this form. For more information about working with the TTC, please visit their website. If you have questions not answered by the site, please email tritontesting@ucsd.edu.

Native American Opportunity Program Established Throughout the UC

The University of California has established the Native American Opportunity Plan, a new initiative regarding the systemwide tuition policy for Native American students attending UC San Diego. This initiative will provide full funding of systemwide tuition and fee costs to California residents who are part of a federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and/or Alaska Native tribe. To be eligible, students must submit documentation verifying their membership with a federally recognized tribe and must maintain California residency. Separately, Native American students who are not active members of a federally recognized tribe are eligible for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Scholarship Fund. Enrollment Management, in collaboration with the Intertribal Resource Center, notified all newly admitted and enrolled Native American first-year and transfer students of this exciting new initiative. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will be working with students directly to request verification documents. To learn more about the plan, visit the UC NAOP page.

Virtual Open House on Research Funding

Do you have questions about funding your research? Join the Office of Foundation and Research Relations and Research Development on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 11 to noon, for a virtual open house to meet team members, consult on funding opportunities, discuss strategy, and learn about available services. Informal drop-ins are welcome, but registration is required to receive the Zoom link.

Advancing Equity in the Major - Fall 2022 Faculty Workshops

Registration is now open for faculty workshops hosted by the Teaching + Learning Commons. Organized by the Education Research + Assessment Hub within the Commons, the workshops offer an opportunity to focus on intentional planning of assessment for advancing equity in all majors. All academic units including departments, programs, and colleges are encouraged to participate. This Fall Quarter, the Commons will offer three workshops:

• Assessment 101
• Assessment in an Afternoon
• Assessment Grant Proposal Workshop

Click here to learn more about each workshop and for registration details. Email assessment@ucsd.edu with any questions.

Privacy in the Higher Ed Space and Why It Matters

Pegah Parsi, UC San Diego’s Chief Privacy Officer, spoke on a recent The Higher Edge podcast about privacy in higher education and why its security matters. Big data has been a global hot-button issue for several years, which has led to a major focus on higher ed privacy. In the podcast, Parsi talked about the erroneous conflation of security versus privacy and opportunities for collaboration in the privacy sector. Parsi also offers several trainings on privacy for the UC San Diego community. 

Attend a Monthly Lean, Lunch & Learn Workshop 

Lean, Lunch & Learn (L3) Workshops feature a discussion on a best practice in Academic Affairs. The Best Practices group, composed of Academic Affairs Assistant Deans, will prioritize topics for the L3. The goal is to come up with a best practice by the end of each L3 workshop. The next L3 workshop will be held Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. and will focus on campus documentation best practices. Those interested can register online.

Drop-in Career and Professional Development Chats at the Women's Center

Join the Staff Career and Professional Development Drop-in Chat @ the Women's Center on the third Thursday of every month, from 1 to 2 p.m. The next chat will be Thursday, Oct. 20. At these chats, participants can ask questions about professional and career development, or just hang out and listen. Attendees are welcome to come and go during the hour, similar to an in-person office hours set-up. The chat facilitator will be Amy Clay from campus HR's Employee Programs and Recognition team. Amy is a UC San Diego alumna, and Career Connection Program Coordinator. Those with questions can contact Jess Geipel at jgeipel@ucsd.edu.